Life in 2021

One last trip out in the UTVs for this year. This time we had our own.  On Oct 5th, went up the  Mill Creek trail that is near Yellowstone. Good group, Wayne and Nancy, Kevin and Kathy, a couple of guys that were friends of Kevin and us.   Fun ride, but a little rough for some. 

 

The group at the top
 

Stuck?

Down in the Gully?

50 Inch rigs only.

Lunch at the shack.

Top of the Mountain.

After this weather started coming in so we met up with Wayne and Nancy for the trip down to Arizona.

Oct 15th we left with snow on the ground.


Not much really going on in AZ.  Can't have get togethers or much  so we drove back up to our place in Butte for Thanksgiving. On the way we stopped in Idaho Falls, ID and purchased another UTV.  I wanted one too. Had to drive back up to pick it up a few days later.  No snow, but cold enough for a fire in the wood burning stove. 


Back to AZ.  Had a covid Christmas with Nancy and Geoff Justice, and Pat and John Irwin.  Really did it right, separate serving utensils and tables set up 6 ft apart.  Pretty enough to be outside. Enjoyed Christmas with good friends. 

 


 Went up to Lake Pleasant with the rig for a couple of days with Lynn and Linda Layman and Donna Daly.  Lake was low, but had a good time.  Since Wayne and Nancy had gone back up to Clyde Park, MT for the winter, we had the use of their UTV and trailer.  Took rides and had fun.

Only trip this year was to Cabo for 2 weeks in Feb. with John and Ilene at his condo.  He was there for 3 months.  Played pickleball and had massages 2 or 3 times a week.  The highlight was a whale watching trip. Limited to 6 people on the boat to maintain distancing.  Good trip and lots of fun.



 

 

Sunset from the condo

 After returning, we took one last trip in Wayne's UTV  before storing for summer.  Judy, Rita, Anne, Peggy,  Lynn and Linda and us did a ride from Lake Pleasant to Crown King.  Great ride with lunch up at Crown King.


 

We really were ready to get back up to Butte and our cabin, but it was a little early.  Left on March 28th and arrived with RV on March 31st.  No trouble on roads, but our driveway had 2 ft. of snow with 6in on bottom of ice. Was 4 hours of work and a broken ankle to get it cleared to be able to get RV in drive. New camera to determine if drive has snow before we come down next year.


It was really cold, but we had indoor tasks to take care of and were planning to add on  a sun room with hot tub and wanted to get supplies.  We actually had warmed the house up by the nest thermostat  and moved in that evening.  Oh!  The broken ankle, Bob was clearing the last bit of ice from the end of drive with the snow plow.  Blade caught on ice and turned plow and UTV directly into me. Result, I was knocked on my ass and ended with having to wear a boot cast for the next 5 weeks. Cold month of April, and snow as late as May 20th.  Coming in May next year. 

April 5th from our front porch. Picture postcard

We didn't waste time though: Painted Accent walls in Living Area, and installed Backsplash in Kitchen. 




Next, a couple of trips to Yellowstone.  April 14th and again on May 9th.  Only saw Bison during the April Trip, but more luck in May.  


April only Bison in some snow,  not even any red dogs yet.


Bear cubs

 

A glimpse of a Moose

The red dogs have been born

An Osprey

A black bear all alone


An Elk Doe but one of few we saw













even a lone wolf


Continued to snow off and on though May 20th


June was pretty quite.  Spent most of the time working on my plants and building our sun room with the pool in it.  Dom and Sue Ambrosini came over and helped.  Dom did a lot to help us out. 

Finished product.



On July 2nd, Lynn and Linda Laymon came by for 4 nights.  Took a couple of UTV rides and just enjoyed the company.  


The next day after Lynn and Linda left,  John and Ilene came in for 4 days.  Extra bedroom comes in handy.  I'm getting so bad about taking pictures of friends.  We had a relaxing time but didn't get to do much since I must of hurt my back either playing pickleball or something the day before when we took Lynn and Linda to play in Butte.  Anyway, my sciatica was so bad that I even had to go to the hospital.  I couldn't put any weight on my leg at all. Medication helped but didn't clear up before they had to leave. The Saturday before they left on Sunday, Wayne and Nancy, and Mary Russell and her sister, Julia came over for the day.  Great visit with Dickie's BBQ for everyone.  

Mary and Julia came back for 2 nights on Tuesday.  Both Mary and I were fighting sciatica pain so didn't do much.  Did take the Trolley ride in Butte to show them the city.   Great driver, was a history school teacher in Butte and had grown up there so had some interesting stories. 

No more company after they left, so back to work. Bob built 2 RV Pads with 50 amp and water. 

Out in from of house now completed


Next to driveway     









On Aug 1, Dom and Sue came back over for the day, bought friends from Happy Trails with them, Jim and Mary Cox . Dom and Sue drove our blue razor, we took the orange one and Jim and Mary had their own.  Took a great long ride all the way to Boulder and back.  Around 100 miles .


Since then, since I'm doing some gardening (container only) Bob built me a greenhouse on the west side of the house.  We had planned on a cheaper temporary made out of aluminum frame and heavy plastic, but when we put it up right after we got here, it blew away and wrecked the frame completely.

The new one is great. 

There's tomatoes, broccoli, bell and jalapeno peppers, squash and zucchini 

Only 10' by 13' but big enough

Except for loads of top soil for the yard, all of our projects for this year are complete.   My sisters were planning on coming to visit this year, but things didn't work out for them to get here.  Hopefully next year.  

Covid is still affecting our schedule. We're not attending big events and trying to stay safe.  Drive over to visit Dom and Sue at their property and Wayne and Nancy at their place.  Drive to Yellowstone once or twice a month and still getting to know the  area.  I'm having back surgery again on Nov 9th, so really have to be careful.  

We love our new home and hope our RV friends and other friends we've met along the way will be sure and drop in.  Remember Canadian friends! we're just off of I15 if you're heading south this fall. Just check in with us, We'll be here off and on until almost Christmas.


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